It was about lunch time one day in early May, 1991. I was sitting in my office at Fondren and the Southwest Freeway in Houston. I was a programmer/analyst with the FDIC. I was working on some random computer program when the telephone rang. It was not the kind of call I generally got at work. Those calls usually had something to do with a computer program someone had managed to find a way I never thought of to break a program I had written. Occasionally a Scout leader would call to talk about some activity or another. Cindy and I were very involved in Scouting in those days. Or, it may have been Cindy calling to talk about the kids and what was going on in their lives or even what we might be doing for dinner that night.
I was not used to getting calls about church or church work while I was at work. After all, my employer was the Federal government. They wouldn’t have had much to say, at least not in a positive way about church, separation of church and state and all that jazz.
It was quite a surprise when the voice on the other end of the line said, “Keith, this is Asbury Lennox.” At that time, the late Dr. Asbury Lennox was the District Superintendent of the Houston East District. I was surprised because, while I had anticipated such a call, I thought it would come one night when I was at home. I never thought about him calling me at work, though there was nothing wrong with that. Dr. Lennox said, “I have called to talk to you about an appointment. The cabinet has met with the bishop and we would like to appoint you to Elwood.”
Before I realized what I was saying the words came from my mouth, words that are the title of this morning’s message, “Where in the world is Elwood?” I thought I knew Texas pretty well. I have since learned I didn’t know Texas as well as I though. I had never heard of this place.
It’s is no wonder I hadn’t heard of it before. Elwood is a rural community about twelve miles northeast of Madisonville. The closest town is Midway. I think it is named that because it is located about midway between Madisonville and Crockett. Midway’s population is 229 and the only store in town closes at 6:00. That shouldn’t be surprising, even the Walmart in Madisonville closed at 8:00. My closest neighbors, other than cows were half a mile away.
Friends that was quite a culture shock for a born and bred city boy. I was used to 24 hour Walmarts and convenience stores that never closed. Now, if I didn’t have it by 8:00 I was either driving an hour to Huntsville and an hour back, or I was going to do without. It had to be pretty important to make the drive.
I titled this morning’s message, “Where in the World is Elwood?” because of that phone call 22 years ago. But, I could just as easily titled it after a good number of the places I have served over the years since. Prior to entering the ministry I couldn’t tell you where a good number of these places were. I didn’t know about Lovelady, Kennard, Mount Sylvan, Van, or Grapeland. Before my ministry days I made the same mistake many Texans make. If someone were to say something about Grapeland to me, I probably would have replied, “That’s up around Dallas isn’t it?” mistakenly thinking about Grapevine.
I had heard of Canton, but I really didn’t know where it was, I had to look for it on a map. The only places I knew where to find were Tyler and Freeport. I remember a couple of trips to Tyler before my ministry days and remember going fishing in Freeport when I was a kid.
I also could have titled the sermon “Where in the world is Santa Fe?” and no, we aren’t talking about New Mexico. I hadn’t heard of it before going into ministry, but before serving there I did work a UM Army based there.
I couldn’t have titled the sermon, “Where in the World is Diboll?” My mother’s family is from this part of the state. We came up to Lufkin almost every year when I was a kid for a family reunion. I knew when I got to Diboll I was almost there.
The point of all of this is to say, for many of us, there are places we know little if anything about. Yet often these are some of the very places where God calls us to go.
Such was the case for one of the great heroes of the Bible, Abraham, in our lesson this morning. God spoke to this 75-year-old man and told him to pack up all his things and move, only God didn’t tell Abram to move to Elwood or Freeport or Diboll or some other named place. God told Abram to move to the land God would show him. Friends, God was asking Abram to take a great leap of faith. Yet, God didn’t just ask Abram to take that leap of faith, God made him some promises as well. God promised Abram would be blessed.
Of course Abram responded by doing as God asked and God showed Abram the land. Then God promised Abram his descendants would inherit this land where Abram was standing. It was a promise Abram never saw fulfilled, but Abram knew God would keep.
If we continued on with reading Genesis we would quickly see God was faithful to the promises made to Abram. God did bless Abram in virtually everything he did. God promised the land to Abram’s descendants. First, this 75-year-old man would have to have some descendants. God took care of that, and in time those descendants grew to great numbers as God had promised. If you keep reading through Exodus and eventually get to Deuteronomy, as God promised, those descendants would inherit the land where Abram stood.
God gave a faithful man a task to do. The faithful man did the task. God made promises. God kept those promises. The biggest of those promises was God’s blessings upon this faithful man. Again, God kept the promise.
That idea is a recurring theme throughout the book of Genesis. In many ways it is a recurring theme throughout Scripture. When people remain faithful, they always receive God’s blessing.
The same is true for each of us. Today God is asking us to begin a faith journey together. It is something that is in many ways new and different. But, we don’t travel this journey alone, we travel together as the people of God. More importantly still, we don’t just travel with each other; God travels the journey with us. And, if we are faithful in the work God has for us to do together, we, like Abram, will be blessed.
Sometime ago, someone emailed me a little clip I thought I would share with you in closing this morning.
At first I saw God as my observer, my judge, keeping track of the things I did wrong, so as to know whether I merited heaven or hell when I die. He was out there sort of like the President. I recognized His picture when I saw it, but I didn’t really know him.
But later on, when I recognized God, it seemed as though life was rather like a bike ride, but it was a tandem bike, and I noticed God was in the back helping me pedal. I don’t know when it was that God suggested we change places, but life has not been the same since.
When I had control, I knew the way. It was rather boring but predictable. It was the shortest distance between two points. But when He took the lead, He took delightful long cuts, up mountains and through rocky places at breakneck speeds! It was all I could do to hang on. Even though it looked like madness, God said, “Pedal!”
I was worried and was anxious and asked, “Where are you taking me?” He just smiled, and didn’t answer, and I started to learn to trust. I forgot my boring life and entered into the adventure. And when I said, “I’m scared,” God leaned back and would touch my hand.
God took me to people with gifts I needed: gifts of healing and acceptance and joy. They gave me their gifts to take on my journey, our journey, God’s and mine. And then we would be off again. Then God would say, “Give those gifts away – they are extra baggage, too much weight.” So I did, giving them to the people we’d meet.
It was then I found that in giving we receive. Our burden was light. I didn’t trust God at first, you know – being in total control of my life. I thought, “What if God wreck’s it?” But God knows, “bike secrets.” God knows how to make it bend to take the sharp corners; how to jump to clear high rocks, and how to fly to shorten scary passages.
I am starting to learn to shut up and pedal in some of the strangest places. I am beginning to enjoy the cool breeze on my face, with my delightful Companion pedaling with me. And when I am sure I just can’t do any more, God just smiles and says, “Pedal!”
God has work for us to do. May we be as faithful as Abraham in what lies ahead. I know if we are, we will be blessed to be a blessing.
